The Beheading of John the Baptist

O God, who willed that Saint John the Baptist should go ahead of your Son both in his birth and in his death, grant that, as he died a Martyr for truth and justice, we, too, may fight hard for the confession of what you teach. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. + Amen

6 Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;

    you are he who took me from my mother's womb.

    My praise is continually of you.

7 I have been as a portent to many,

    but you are my strong refuge.

8 My mouth is filled with your praise,

    and with your glory all the day.

9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age;

    forsake me not when my strength is spent.

10 For my enemies speak concerning me;

    those who watch for my life consult together

11 and say, “God has forsaken him;

    pursue and seize him,

    for there is none to deliver him.”

Psalm 71 – English Standard Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary

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Job 9:1-15, 32-35 – Acts 10:34-48 – John 7:37-52

Augustine of Hippo

Lord God, the light of the minds that know you, the life of the souls that love you, and the strength of the hearts that serve you: Help us, following the example of your servant Augustine of Hippo, so to know you that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whom to serve is perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. + Amen

On the holy mount stands the city he founded;
²     the Lord loves the gates of Zion
    more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
³ Glorious things of you are spoken,
    O city of God. Selah

⁴ Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;
    behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush^[a]—
    “This one was born there,” they say.
⁵ And of Zion it shall be said,
    “This one and that one were born in her”;
    for the Most High himself will establish her.
⁶ The Lord records as he registers the peoples,
    “This one was born there.” Selah

⁷ Singers and dancers alike say,
    “All my springs are in you.”

Psalm 87 – English Standard Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary

(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)

Job 8:1-10, 20-22 – Acts 10:17-33 – John 7:14-36

Monica, Mother of St Augustine

God of mercy, comfort of those in sorrow, the tears of St. Monica moved you to convert her son St. Augustine to the faith of Christ. By their examples, help us to turn from our sins and to find your loving forgiveness. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. + Amen.

¹² The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us;
    he will bless the house of Israel;
    he will bless the house of Aaron;
¹³ he will bless those who fear the Lord,
    both the small and the great.

¹⁴ May the Lord give you increase,
    you and your children!
¹⁵ May you be blessed by the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth!

¹⁶ The heavens are the Lord's heavens,
    but the earth he has given to the children of man.
¹⁷ The dead do not praise the Lord,
    nor do any who go down into silence.
¹⁸ But we will bless the Lord
    from this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!

Psalm 12 – English Standard Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary

(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)

Job 6:1, 7:1-21 – Acts 10:1-16 – John 7:1-13

O God, you show the light of your truth to those who stray, that they may return to the right path. Grant that all who profess the Christian faith may reject whatever is contrary to the gospel and follow the way that leads to you. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever Amen

Save, O Lord, for the godly one is gone;
    for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man.
² Everyone utters lies to his neighbor;
    with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

³ May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
    the tongue that makes great boasts,
⁴ those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail,
    our lips are with us; who is master over us?”

⁵ “Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan,
    I will now arise,” says the Lord;
    “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”
⁶ The words of the Lord are pure words,
    like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
    purified seven times.

⁷ You, O Lord, will keep them;
    you will guard us^[b] from this generation forever.
⁸ On every side the wicked prowl,
    as vileness is exalted among the children of man.

Psalm 12 – English Standard Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary

(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)

Job 6:1-4, 8-15, 21 – Acts 9:32-43 – John 6:60-71

Louis IX, King of France

O God, who called your servant Louis of France to an earthly throne that he might advance your heavenly kingdom, and gave him zeal for your Church and love for your people: Mercifully grant that we who commemorate him this day may be fruitful in good works, and attain to the glorious crown of your saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

O Lord, in your strength the king rejoices,
    and in your salvation how greatly he exults!
² You have given him his heart's desire
    and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah
³ For you meet him with rich blessings;
    you set a crown of fine gold upon his head.
⁴ He asked life of you; you gave it to him,
    length of days forever and ever.
⁵ His glory is great through your salvation;
    splendor and majesty you bestow on him.
⁶ For you make him most blessed forever;^[a]
    you make him glad with the joy of your presence.
⁷ For the king trusts in the Lord,
    and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.

Psalm 21 – English Standard Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary

(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)

Job 4:1, 5:1-11, 17-21, 26-27 – Acts 9:19-31 – John 6:52-59

Merciful God, you willed that by the grace of adoption we should become children of light; grant that we not be cloaked in the darkness of error but rather stand forth in the splendor of truth. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen

O Lord, God of my salvation;
    I cry out day and night before you.
² Let my prayer come before you;
    incline your ear to my cry!

³ For my soul is full of troubles,
    and my life draws near to Sheol.
⁴ I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
    I am a man who has no strength,
⁵ like one set loose among the dead,
    like the slain that lie in the grave,
like those whom you remember no more,
    for they are cut off from your hand.
⁶ You have put me in the depths of the pit,
    in the regions dark and deep.
⁷ Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
    and you overwhelm me with all your waves. Selah

Psalm 88 – English Standard Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary

(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)

Job 2:1-13 – Acts 9:1-9 – John 6:27-40

God of holiness, increase within us your gifts of faith, hope, and love, and enable us to cherish whatever you command, that we may come to possess all that you promise. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the oly Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen

² I will ponder the way that is blameless.
    Oh when will you come to me?
    I will walk with integrity of heart within my house;
³ I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.
  I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.
⁴ A perverse heart shall be far from me;
    I will know nothing of evil.

⁵ Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy.
  Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure.

⁶ I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me;
   he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me.

⁷ No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house;
   no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes.

⁸ Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land,
  cutting off all the evildoers from the city of the Lord.

Psalm 101 – English Standard Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary

(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)

Job 1:1-22 – Acts 8:26-40 – John 6:16-27